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Arneri Genealogy and Arneri Family History Information

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Profiles

  • Jakov Petar Maria Arneri, VI (1743 - 1819)
    brak u Kotoru prema Jakov (VI.) Petar Marija, sin je Jerolima Jacinta i zadarske plemkinje Ivanice de Soppe, rođen 1743., a umro 1819. Bio je član literarnih i učenih društava pod imenom Accademia d...
  • ? Arneri (deceased)
  • ? Arneri (c.1559 - d.)
  • ? Arneri (c.1581 - d.)
  • ? Arneri (c.1643 - d.)

About the Arneri surname

The Arneri Clan are descendants of the Peruzovic/Peruzzi Clan of Florence. Dobroslav Boniface Peruzzi is credited for being the very first known patriarch of the clan. Very little is known about him other then a brief inscription of his name in the historic 'Island of Korcula Public Records Archive'. We also know of him because of the way his son's name turns up on the public register; Dobroslavic Petar and hence one of his grandsons; Dobroslav Petrov.

Through their historic family tree (& coat of arms), their heritage can be traced back to the 1300s. Dobroslavic Petar was born in 1340. We can estimated therefore that Dobroslav Boniface might have been born somewhere in 1310-20. This would be the earliest set of dates that we are certain of.

Having said that, the Peruzzi clan, who incidentally also share a common coat of arms theme, go back a further 300 years (to mid 1000s AD). Arneri surname comes from a certain Arnerius (d.1497) who was the great grand-son of Dobroslavic Petar. His wife was Frana Simonetti. They had 2 sons (one of which became a priest). There were a further 4 Arneriuses in the family tree, one of which was Arnerius III (d.1663); a proprietor & commander of a fleet at the battle of Lepanto (who is sometimes mistakenly credited as the source of the surname).

Clarifying ancestor decent is therefore tricky. Two main composite populations therefore come to light; Lombard-Roman and Frankish-Roman. Both were present at the time the Peruzzi Family came into existence. This mix was further complicated by Peruzovic/Arneri Clan habits of taking husbands & brides from the local Dalmatian Nobility, most of which were various composites of; Lombard-Roman, Frankish Roman, Slavic-Roman & Slavic-German. In essence, this mixing continued till the 1900s when the status of nobility seized to restrict marriages between social classes.

By this point the Arneri clan was already split into 3 groups; the 2 brothers (and their subsequent families), Rafael (b.1837) & Jeronimo (b.1839) on one side, and the 3 families of Anton Arneri (b.1742) of Padova on the other. Jeronimo had 5 kids, while Rafael had 8. Jeronimo line continued mixing within the Dalmatian composite group. The Anton line continued mixing with the North Italian/Swiss group, while the Rafael line partially also mixed in with the Serbian composite population. 3 of the 8 families of the Rafael line have since slavicized their surname by adding a 'c' at the end of it. Great Example; Neda Arneric (the famous actress - the great grand-daughter of Vlaho V Arneri - who was one of the sons of Rafael).

Historically, it was the infusion of private capital that kept the Peruzovic/Arneri Clan in the driving seat, rather then positions of power. At the beginning, they started trading in commodities like wheat & barley from the Po valley into Istria & the Dalmatian Coast. From there, they expanded into the shipping industry. They built a shipyard in Lumbarda (Island of Korcula) from where many of their early ships came from. But lack of quality hardwood and the growing piracy issue had forced them to relocate production first to Solin and then to Zadar. Close to Split, in the Kasteli suburbs the family built a huge bailey to support production & further expand trade to the interior. Later the bailey was burnt down by a war party of Ottoman Turks(1596 See: Battle of Klis).

However, the family fortune really took off after a new venture in wheat mills boomed. Using cattle & horses and later wind (to power the mills), the family quickly built up a monopoly over the Venetian Adriatic (including Venice). In all, it is estimated that they might have owned as many as 10 cattle driven mills & a further 20 wind mills; in Hvar, Brac, Korcula, Vis, Zadar, Grignano, Corfu, Rovinj, Venice, Portoroz, Grado, etc. With extra income, they further built many stately homes across the Adriatic basin - most notable being Blato (in Korcula), Venice, Split & Zadar. While in their early years (pre 1590s) they may have had a trading post in the interiors (possibly in Bosnia), the Ottoman invasions on one hand and shortages of surplus commodities on the other meant that these lands were quickly abandoned & replaced for the interiors of Veneto, Carniola & Friuli where good timber was plentiful and cheap.

Today there are about 20-25 houses of the Arneri Clan. They are present in Croatia, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, UK, Canada & Serbia. Due to a historical & cultural link to Venice, many members of the clan still speak Venet Italian as a mark of self-identity. Other languages like English & Dutch point to a more recent lifestyle trend. As per their Venetian sphere of influence, they were originally Roman Catholic. There were therefore many over the centuries who became priests & nuns. Examples; Junije Peruzovic (1400s), Nikola III Arneri (1600s), Bandumijer Arneri(1650s), Jacob V Arneri (1700s), etc.